On this trip we
were again checking out some of the places of our ancestors. This involved
visiting villages in both Russia, along the Volga River, and in Poland. We
ended the trip traveling through Slovakia and sightseeing in Budapest, Hungary.

We were
fortunate to be able to travel to Russia, Ukraine, and Austria in
September/October, 2003. It was our first visit to these countries and we
thoroughly enjoyed it! After we visited Moscow and St. Petersburg we
joined a group of 140 "pilgrims" who were visiting southern Ukraine, the land
which had been the childhood home to some on this trip while others had parents
and grandparents who had lived there. Since Elaine's grandfather and grandmother
were born in southern Ukraine, south of Kiev, this was a special
experience for us.

The ship, the
Dnieper Princess, was our home for two weeks as we sailed down the Dnieper River
from Kiev to Dnepropetrovsk, Zaparozhye, and Kherson, then across the
Black Sea to Savastopol and Odessa. The arrangements for the cruise were
superb and were made by Marina and Walter Unger of Toronto, Canada. The
tour guides were the best, the food was delicious, the weather was great, and we
met many wonderful people! We're still reflecting on the sights we saw,
the things we heard and the new acquaintances we made.